Puerto Ricans react to Trump's query on selling the island 2:30
(CNN) ––
The Trump administration announced $ 13 billion for Puerto Rico, in additional aid.
The funds will be used to rebuild after Hurricane Maria that hit the island in 2017.
The governor of Puerto Rico, Wanda Vázquez Garced, tweeted the news this Friday.
According to him, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Pete Gaynor, informed him that 13,000 million dollars were approved.
Vázquez thanked the White House and President Donald Trump.
LEE: The New York Times: Trump considered selling Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, says the former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security
The White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, in a statement touted the millionaire figure as two of the "largest grants in history" from FEMA.
It will include a federal share of 11.6 billion funds for the projects.
The funding decision is likely an attempt to attract Puerto Rican voters who moved to Florida after the hurricane.
In fact, this state is a battlefield in the race for the White House.
Latinos in Florida could define election 4:24
Trump's tension with Puerto Rico for funds
In the three years that have passed since the storm made landfall in Puerto Rico, the rebuilding process has been slow and costly.
In November 2018, White House officials told congressional leaders and appropriators that Trump did not want to send additional aid funds to Puerto Rico.
Asked why he did not approve the aid package years ago, Trump unsubstantiated Friday that it was the fault of the Democrats.
Trump criticizes funds for Puerto Rico 1:10
"It's very difficult to get these things passed, the Democrats don't want this to happen," he said.
However, the reality is that the Trump administration withheld aid to Puerto Rico while criticizing its residents.
The president also boasted of being "the best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico," despite his constant criticism of the island for years.
Trump's lack of empathy for Puerto Ricans has collided with his treatment of storm victims in the continental US during his tenure, prompting racist criticism, including from some local officials who they defended their home.
Hurricane Maria management
The way Trump handled Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico has been widely criticized by locals and experts.
The phenomenon devastated the island and claimed the lives of almost 3,000 people in the midst of its consequences.
The president has consistently denied any fault of his government.
Instead, he has sought praise for handling Hurricane Maria, even calling it "an incredible and unrecognized success."
Trump was criticized for his visit to Puerto Rico weeks after the storm.
There he was photographed throwing rolls of paper at a crowd of survivors.
Trump launches rolls of paper in Puerto Rico 0:35
Since then, he has publicly criticized local officials.
He also falsely lashed out at what he said was an over-reported death toll and questioned aid to Puerto Rico.
Former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke, in office when the hurricane struck, said in an interview in July that Trump considered the idea of selling the island after Maria.
Trump criticizes Puerto Rico
Tensions between the president and the island exploded in March 2019. At the time, then-Puerto Rican governor Ricardo Rosselló fought back after White House officials warned his top advisers that the island's representatives were pushing too hard to arrange a meeting with the president who was looking to discuss the terrible situation on the island.
"If the bully comes near, I will punch him in the mouth," Rosselló told CNN at the time.
"It would be a mistake to confuse courtesy with courage."
LEE: Trump's government releases US $ 8.2 billion of aid for Puerto Rico that had been withheld
And when Hurricane Dorian approached Puerto Rico in August 2019, Trump once again enraged his administration.
«Puerto Rico is one of the most corrupt places in the world.
Its political system is bankrupt and its politicians are incompetent or corrupt.
Congress approved billions of dollars last time, more than anywhere else, and it sends crooked politicians.
Not good!"
wrote.
He also added that "by the way, I am the best thing that has happened to Puerto Rico!"
Investment
The government's $ 13 billion investment is directed at electricity and education systems, the McEnany statement said.
«The federal financing of 9.600 million dollars will allow the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to repair and replace thousands of kilometers of transmission and distribution lines, electrical substations, power generation systems, office buildings and other improvements to the net.
The $ 2 billion grant to the Puerto Ricos Department of Education will focus on restoring school buildings and educational facilities throughout the island, ”said McEnany.
The grants, he added, "exceed the total Public Assistance funding in any federally declared disaster except for Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy."
CNN's Maegan Vazquez contributed to this report.
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